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Tag Archives: rural

About 50 percent of urban and 46 percent of rural residents see drug addiction as a major problem in their communities. But that’s where the similarities end in Pew Research Center’s key finding about American life. Among the findings, the suburbs are growing faster than urban and rural areas; a majority of rural residents perceive… read more

Bankers across the Midwest say depressed farm commodity prices are the biggest threat to the economy this year in rural parts of country. The overall economic index in a monthly survey of bankers for the region remained in negative territory at 42.8 in January, down slightly from December’s 42.9. Any score below 50 suggests an… read more

Negative attitudes in the Midwest continue to deepen, according to the Creighton University Rural Mainstreet Index. This month’s reading of attitudes of rural bank leaders in 10 Midwestern states pegs its index, at 34.8, down from December’s 41.5. It’s the lowest overall index figure since August 2009.

More people are finding work but job totals in rural America remain below pre-recession levels, says the USDA in “Rural America at a Glance,” an annual digest of the rural economy. “Rural areas continue to experience population loss, higher poverty rates, and lower educational attainment than urban areas.”

1 out of every 6 rural Americans – more than 8.2 million people – lives in poverty, according to a report by the Census Bureau. The rural poverty rate of 16.5% for 2014 was not statistically different than the 2013 rate.

USDA reports 70% of U.S. farmers and ranchers now have computer and Internet access, a 3% jump from 2013. That’s the key outtake from a new survey, Farm and Computer Usage and Ownership, released this week by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Political pundits mistakenly characterize rural America as politically one-dimensional, but those who do fail to understand important demographic changes that can impact the 2016 elections. A new report finds rural Americans are becoming more politically diverse.

Earlier this week, we told you about the general population loss in non-metro rural counties. In Illinois, only 2 non-metro counties in the state saw population growth between 2010 and 2014. They are Warren and Effingham counties.

Between 2010 and 2014, the population of the nation’s 749 largest cities climbed 4.3% while the remainder of the United States grew by a smaller 2.4%. City growth varies little by city size, with large cities of all sizes growing faster than elsewhere. Large cities are incorporated places with populations of 50,000 or more in 2014.

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack and Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker will head the collaboration of 25 government agencies and departments dedicated to advancing rural broadband service, the White House announced Monday. “Broadband access is as key to economic success today as electricity was in the 20th Century,” Vilsack said.

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